MVIS Yearly Round Up 2025

Every year MVIS aims to raise the bar, and 2025 has been one of our biggest years yet. We have placed ourselves in new situations, explored different approaches and continued to meet challenges with solutions through our people, software and hardware. This year has included major projects, industry shows, group developments, CSR initiatives and the launch of new solutions and customer resources. 

As we reach the end of the year, we take a moment to reflect on everything we have achieved as a company. 

CSR Initiatives in 2025 

Treecycle

Our year once again began with the Ashgate Hospice Treecycle initiative, one of our longest-standing community commitments. MVIS has supported Treecycle for five years and it continues to grow. 

Experienced Treecycler Ben Ashman and newcomer Adam Brown spent a full day collecting more than 50 Christmas trees from residents who donated £5 to Ashgate Hospice. Collections covered Cromford, Lea, Crich and Chesterfield, all coordinated from our Tansley depot. Once collected, the trees were converted into biofuel at a local farm, supporting both the hospice and the environment. 

This initiative remains a tradition we are proud to continue each year. 

Highfields School Mock Interviews

MVIS is located only a mile from Highfields School and many of our apprentices and staff are former students. When invited to take part in the school’s mock interview day, we accepted immediately. 

Marketing team members Ben Ashman and Ben Kettell met with students to help them develop CV writing skills and interview confidence. For many, it was their first experience of a real interview environment. Supporting the next generation is important to us and we look forward to continuing this relationship. 

Ashgate Hospice Sparkle Walk

June brought the tenth anniversary of Ashgate Hospice’s Sparkle Walk. For another year, MVIS provided six solar powered VMS signs free of charge to promote and support the event across Chesterfield. 

The anniversary walk was one of Ashgate’s biggest yet, with performers motivating walkers along the route. Through a combination of free signage, staff time and smaller fundraising efforts throughout the year, MVIS has now helped raise more than £63,000 for Ashgate Hospice. 

Ashgate Skydive

In 2024 we signed up Robert Hinchley for the Ashgate skydive after other staff politely declined. Following delays caused by weather and illness, Rob finally took the leap. The achievement meant a great deal to both Rob and the company, and our marketing team produced a dedicated documentary capturing the experience and its purpose. 

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/Z2VpGbtxbnw

MVIS in the Media

During one of the hottest periods of the year, the Peak District saw a rise in fires caused by unattended BBQs. Earlier in the year, Moors for the Future Partnership approached MVIS to use our fire warning sign, inherited through our partnership with Bartco within the Torquay Group. 

After seeing the sign in action, the organisation invited us to discuss its operation on site. The resulting coverage appeared in news articles, online features and television segments. MVIS collected all media mentions and published them on our LinkedIn. 

Work Experience and New Apprentices

Many of our strongest apprentices originally joined MVIS through work experience. This year we welcomed Mackinley Brown, son of Adam Brown. Mackinley spent time with our marketing team, office staff and workshop technicians to gain hands-on experience across multiple areas of the business. 

Supporting young talent is part of our long-term CSR focus and we look forward to hosting more students in the future. 

Alongside welcoming Mackinley this year, we also welcomed a new apprentice into the Customer Relations team. With one of our experts taking well-deserved maternity leave from January 2026, we knew the well-oiled machine that is MVIS needed temporary additional support. We welcomed Lois Gill, who has already begun working closely with the team to ensure April’s high standards are maintained throughout her maternity leave. 

MVIS has welcomed many apprentices over the years, with several progressing into strong careers both within and beyond the company. Others have stayed to grow with us, such as Rebecca Prince, who this year celebrated 10 years at MVIS after first joining as an apprentice. Supporting young talent remains a core part of our long-term CSR strategy, and we will continue to help future apprentices build valuable skills and experience. 

Taskmaster Day

Staff welfare is a key priority at MVIS. This year several team members took on responsibilities outside their usual roles to help manage an extremely busy summer. Office staff assisted in the workshop and workshop staff supported teams on the road. 

To thank everyone for their hard work, we organised a companywide Taskmaster Day at the end of summer. Hosted by Marketing Executive Ben Ashman and Customer Relations’ April Flaherty, the day included creative and entertaining challenges for staff from all depots. Jon Larkins, Juliette Wright and Robert Hinchley took home the win. 

Thanks to a well-organised day from Ben and April — and home-cooked food prepared by Anne — the team ended the summer on a high, returning to work feeling refreshed, appreciated and energised. 

Events like this help staff relax, connect and return to work refreshed. 

The Return of the MVIS Bake Off

After a one-year break, the MVIS Bake Off returned in November, bringing back weekly competitions, homemade treats and the festive countdown that staff had missed. The tradition continues to boost morale across the company as we head into the Christmas period. 

CSR plays a major role in our accreditations and reputation as a trusted, community-focused business. Most importantly, our customers make these initiatives possible. Thank you to everyone who works with us and allows us to support our community throughout the year 

Innovation and New Solutions

MVIS continues to develop products and solutions that shape the future of intelligent transport systems. Our Innovation Hub allows customers to register interest early and share their feedback. Three key developments were highlighted in 2025: 

Incursion VMS

A VMS integrated with a barrier system and supported by ANPR technology. This product helps control access to sites using a whitelist and offers remote approval for authorised visitors. It was showcased at Highways UK and placed into the Innovation Hub for further market research. 

Portable Belisha Beacons

By adapting our HD Compact bases, we created a portable Belisha Beacon system paired with a durable rubber mat. This solution is ideal for temporary crossings and site environments across the UK. 

Solar Powered Tower

Cameras now record in higher quality, gather 4K data and even build 3D models to support real-time crash analysis without GDPR concerns, as demonstrated by the LiDAR by Flow Analytics by AGC. These features demand more power than standard ITS solar units can supply. To address this, MVIS developed a new solar powered tower designed to support advanced data capture equipment without mains power. With this high-power machine, we can rely on solar to create an eco-friendly power source for High Powered Equipment. 

Customisable VMS

We also introduced fully customisable VMS units, including an expanded range of colours such as our popular blue VMS models. Customers can personalise sign colours, layouts and messaging to suit their brand or project requirements. 

New Professional Services

With more than thirteen years of industry expertise, MVIS now offers six specialist services delivered by accredited staff supported by a full transport fleet: 

• ITS repairs
• VMS maintenance
• VMS upgrades
• Brake servicing
• Battery services
• Transport and haulage 

Each service is explained in detail on our website and provides customers with the same trusted standards as our hire and purchase products. 

Shows and Events

Attending industry events plays a major role in how we stay connected with customers and remain informed about developments across the sector. In 2025 we attended Core Highways, several TMCA dates, LCRIG’s Strictly Highways, Plantworx and Highways UK. 

Plantworx was a new event for us. Over three sunny days at Newark Showground, Business Development Manager Juliette Wright and Marketing Executive Ben Ashman showcased our products to visitors while positioned beside the main demonstration ring. The interest we received has encouraged us to attend Hillhead next year. 

Strictly Highways saw Sales Director Graeme Lee representing MVIS in Blackpool’s iconic ballroom, meeting industry experts and long-standing collaborators. 

Highways UK remains a key event in our calendar. In October, Anne Ashman, Graeme Lee, Juliette Wright and R&D Manager Tom Hooton presented the Incursion VMS as part of the Innovation Hub and met with many new and existing customers. 

After Highways UK was packed up and all staff returned safely to MVIS depots, we wanted to maintain the momentum generated by the show. 
We hosted the MVIS Highways Follow-Up Open Day, giving those who couldn’t attend Highways UK the opportunity to see our latest developments in person. Visitors explored new solutions, discussed innovations with our teams and experienced first-hand the products shaping the year ahead. 

Partnerships and Group Developments

2025 has been a year of strong collaboration both within the Torquay Group and with external partners. 

Our partnership with Chellan Highway Safety Services Ltd enabled us to offer a complete CCTV solution, combining high quality cameras, reliable power options and professional monitoring delivered by Wayne Nelthorpe and his highly accredited team. 

Within the Torquay Group we welcomed Solar Gates, whose barrier systems and network have enriched our shared capabilities. We also officially welcomed P & D Specialist Services Ltd as a sister company after many years of working together on schemes and installations. Their ideas and expertise have already proven valuable. 

This year also took our partnerships overseas. We collaborated with Flow Analytics by AGC, specialists in LiDAR technology for traffic surveys. Their system produces 3D renders of environments without capturing personal data, offering detailed insights while avoiding GDPR issues. We invited Flow Analytics to join us on our stand at Highways UK, and in return representatives from across the Torquay Group attended the Smart City Expo in Barcelona. 

Major Projects

MVIS is defined not only by its initiatives and innovations but also by the projects we deliver for customers. In 2025 our VMS featured on significant schemes across the country including the A1, the A47 and many other major networks. 

One standout project this year was the Glastonbury Festival, where MVIS delivered over 30 VMSV units on the routes to the festival. Despite the complexity and scale of the deployment, our Commercial & Operations Director led the project with the expertise gained from overseeing all major schemes the company has delivered over the past 13+ years. With the support of our logistics and customer relations teams, she coordinated the entire operation flawlessly. 

Our units also supported Sandringham Festival, where eight VMS C units and eight Solar IP units assisted with wayfinding and site monitoring. 

We continued to support leading highways and TM organisations, consistently delivering the high standards of service and reliability our customers expect. 

We have not only taken on projects for customers — we have also taken on some major projects within MVIS. Our Cobham Depot was becoming to small as the team company is growing and no longer fit for purpose for the volume of VMS and ITS units it handled, so we had no option but to upsize. 

Earlier this year, Southern Hub Manager Mark Ashbee and Anne Ashman were in the market for a new depot in the London area. 

They soon discovered a site that exceeded expectations — what is now the MVIS Southern Hub in Woking. 

This impressive depot includes: 

• A dedicated battery charging station   

• Yard space for our full fleet of VMS units 

• Fully functional workshop for servicing and repairs 

• Welfare areas designed with staff comfort in mind 

• An efficient layout built for modern ITS operations 

Heading into the new year, the Woking Southern Hub positions us to take on any challenge across the London region. 

Conclusion

2025 has been a whirlwind year for MVIS with a busy summer, a productive winter and continued growth throughout. We have operated through demanding periods thanks to the commitment and adaptability of our staff, many of whom stepped into new responsibilities to keep the business running smoothly. 

MVIS is built on teamwork and on the trust our customers place in us. Thank you to every member of staff for your hard work and dedication and thank you to our customers for choosing MVIS and allowing us to deliver quality products, solutions and service. 

Here is to another remarkable year in 2026.